The proposed research will employ multiple methods of intervention and measurement in order to treat and evaluate outcomes with a population of 50 physically child abusing and neglecting families. The project will last 3 years and allow a one year follow-up on each family. Treatment procedures are aimed at changing the entire family system including both situation and person characteristics. They include 81) relaxation training and systematic desensitization, (2) cognitive restructuring, and (3) teaching new interaction skills to parents and children. The twin focus of treatment will involve (a) altering situations which produce stress that might lead to abuse and (b) altering parental responses to stressful situations when these responses are unusally emotional or violent. The primary outcome measures involve predicted changes in patterns of family interaction which seem to promote abuse and neglect. In addition, information will be collected concerning (1) changes in physiological response to stress, (2) positive approach behaviors, (3) actual incidents of abuse or neglect, (4) parental expectations of and demands on children and (5) parental perceptions of their own physical and emotional health. Finally, standard demographic information and family histories of abuse and neglect will be compiled to test the significance of these variables for treatment outcomes.